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SOTA c21s01
Text Ersatz Major was awed by Subterra, but what was most striking was her fearlessness: and it wasn't a facade, both ponies could see that clearly, as they walked slowly through the dark streets of city beneath the city. She had been a little scared at first, sure, and that had probably been what had started to wear away her plastic expressions... but now she was looking around like a happy foal, her eyes wide as she studied ponies touched by darkness, demons, supernatural creatures and everything else that wandered this place... and all with fascination, not fear. At first, neither Luna nor Scrivener could understand it: normally, ponies who came down here took a long time to adjust. But soon enough, they both started to get a sense of what exactly it was that had overridden Ersatz's anxieties, even made her come out of her fake shell a little, as she suddenly said in an amazed voice: “They're all different, every one of them, and some of them stand out so much... but they all treat each other like... like equals.” “Well, sort of. There's a natural pecking order, but... even then, it's not like our society. The culture is a lot different.” Scrivener responded gently, and Ersatz nodded a few times before the stallion impulsively stepped forwards and leaned up, snatching her bonnet off her head. The unicorn staggered and flushed deeply, glaring over her shoulder at him, but Scrivener only smiled and turned before putting the bonnet on Luna, who grinned proudly and rose her head high. “Give that back!” “No.” Scrivener said simply, and Ersatz glared at him angrily, even as a flush continued to rise higher in her cheeks before Scrivener stepped towards her, tilting his head so the scarred side of his face was in full view before he said softly: “Our house, our rules. Besides, this isn't unicorn land.” “Give it back.” Ersatz demanded, and when Scrivener only continued to look at him, she blushed deeper and turned her eyes away, her lip trembling and composure completely lost as she mumbled: “You... you don't understand... I thought you were... did you do this just so you c-could...” Luna only snorted and stepped forwards, looking irritably down at Ersatz as she asked dryly: “So 'tis fair and fine to pick on Scrivener using the agonies he has suffered, but 'tis not fair to ask thee to walk around in public wearing the damage thou did by thine own... self?” Scrivener glared at Luna, but he was glad she at least hadn't said 'horn;' that would have likely completely destroyed any chance of getting through to Ersatz. “Nay, walk onwards.” Ersatz only gave what was almost a whimper, trembling harder, but then Scrivener leaned in and met her eyes, saying quietly: “I know it's hard. But before you get too upset, I want you to look at me, and tell me I couldn't possibly understand. This is a safe place, and well... you pushed me a lot, so I am going to push back. Even though at least me being mean has a point.” The mare only laughed shortly, and then Scrivener reached up and absently adjusted her bow on her head, pushing her mane out of her way and keeping her broken horn in full view as Ersatz glanced away angrily. But after a few moments, she hesitantly rose her head a little higher, then turned her eyes back and forth in surprise. No one was staring at her, or pointing and laughing, or mocking her. A few demons gave her looks as they passed, but everyone was otherwise going on their way on their everyday business. She frowned uncertainly, then glared at Scrivener when he smiled at her and studied her thoughtfully, saying mildly: “You know what the funny thing is? I think this is the first time I've seen your real face. Your real emotions and everything.” “I...” Ersatz looked away awkwardly, almost blushing, and then she turned and hurried down a side street, and Scrivener and Luna traded a look and a smile before they both quickly caught up to her, falling in step on either side of the unicorn as she mumbled: “I... well, it was extremely rude of you to do what you did. Battery and theft. You are a bully, Scrivener Blooms and I'm appalled by your reprehensible behavior.” “Oh yeah, you're one to talk. You write smear articles for a living and you're trying to punish me for something that might not entirely be my fault, as... as much as I feel in a way you're... kind of right. But only kind of.” Scrivener said softly, as they continued down the road that Ersatz had chosen. She glanced at him quietly, and he looked back as Luna only grunted and nodded a few times, the bonnet flapping a little around her mane. Scrivener paused to glance over at his wife, and then he sighed a little, saying dryly: “Luna, your mane's getting all bunched up and messy, you should-” “Shut up, Scrivy.” Luna interrupted, apparently not caring about the random swirls of blue mane twisting out of the bonnet around her face, and Scrivener sighed and dropped his head. “We do not hide ourselves in Subterra, actress. We are... who we are. And we are not ashamed. That emotion is forbidden here.” Ersatz only looked forwards with a faint smile as they headed into a short, curving tunnel, coming out the other side into a less-frequented area of the underground city: the cavern here wasn't nearly as large, and there was a constant, low hum in the air that came from several of the large, steel buildings. Ersatz looked around with interest before Luna brightened, beginning: “Scrivener, is this not-” She was cut off by a series of loud, furious curses that came from somewhere not far ahead, and Luna grinned widely as Ersatz tilted her head back in surprise, before Scrivener said mildly: “There's your answer.” “Oh, this is delightful! Come, Ersatz Major, we shall introduce thee to a friend of ours.” Luna said cheerily, and Ersatz nodded hesitantly as Scrivener gave Luna a pointed look even as she strode quickly ahead down the dusty road, the mare adding without looking around: “Oh, cease that, 'twill be fine, 'twill be fine. Thou art nothing but a buttocks, Scrivener Blooms.” Scrivener and Ersatz followed Luna to an open archway that looked in on a large garage, where several Nibelung workers in gray overalls were nervously standing near the wall. A Nightmare was sitting apprehensively on the other side of the room, and several demons prowled nervously around... although they looked much more afraid of Cowlick than of the Clockwork Pony currently pinned down in the center of the area. Ersatz's eyes widened in shock as Scrivener frowned, and Cowlick glanced up with a grimace, rubbing the back of her hoof against her bandanna-covered forehead as she said dryly: “Did you guys ever do one hell of a number on this poor bastard here.” “What are you doing?” Ersatz asked uneasily before she could stop herself, staring in horror at the sight of Vallation: the Clockwork Pony had a blindfold over his eyes, his features expressionless despite the fact all four of his hooves were manacled and secured by taut chains to anchor-loops on the floor. He was forced to stand perfectly upright thanks to the support bars under his body, half-holding him in position and half-letting him rest his bulky, armored frame against him. “Making a goddamn sandwich, what the hell does it look like I'm doing?” Cowlick said grumpily, gazing back into the open side of Vallation: even though it probably looked terrifying to Ersatz, the fact this pony had what looked like a large, currently-open door revealing his insides, Scrivener and Luna were both surprised by the fact it looked like Cowlick had managed to do some extensive repairs to the Clockwork Pony. Without looking, the engineer reached out and felt along a blanket of tools, and all three ponies – as well as many of the other entities in the room – winced as she almost grabbed the sawed-off, double barrel shotgun sitting next to an overturned box of shells before her hoof instead settled on a wrench, sweeping it up. Then Ersatz paled slightly as Cowlick leaned inside the opening in Vallation's body, her voice echoing as she said mildly: “See, I've been studying this guy here, and he strikes me as being about as dangerous as a toaster oven. Well, okay, a little worse than that, but honestly? I've been comparing him to the other Clockworks and I think I figured something fantastic out. You guys, you're gonna just love it.” “Love what?” Luna asked warily as Ersatz nervously stepped towards Scrivener, as the charcoal stallion only stared blankly. Cowlick looked up... then tapped the wrench absently against the stallion's repaired frame before grunting and nodding. “Y'know what? I got all his main systems repaired and enough power jacked in that he should be able to work properly. Let's go ahead and do this. Oh, and you, new girl... I don't know if this is some creepy date or you're the new chew-toy or something, but you might not want to be here for this.” Ersatz frowned nervously as Scrivener winced and Luna cleared her throat, as Cowlick tossed a wrench away before picking up a cutting knife, absently testing the blade with her hoof. “No, I... I'm here, as a matter of fact, to better understand Luna and Scrivener... I think I should watch this, however... it turns out... but... what happened to this poor pony? Or is he a demon?” “He's a toaster.” Cowlick answered mildly, then she glanced pointedly up at Luna and Scrivener, but as they were still staring blankly, the engineer shrugged absently. “Well, do you know what a Clockwork Pony is? I guess you must, you must be a reporter... what's your name? I'm Cowlick, sort of the brains around here.” Ersatz began to answer... then stared in shock as Cowlick reached up and easily peeled the Clockwork Pony's mane slowly back, revealing not more flesh, but steel skull held in place by several locks. Scrivener and Luna both gaped as well in surprise, and Cowlick grinned widely, winking over at them. “Oh, no, you guys ain't seen nothin' yet.” Cowlick put the knife absently aside on the Clockwork Pony's back, then she reached up and began to carefully open each clasp, and Vallation frowned slightly... but otherwise didn't react even when Cowlick grasped the loosened steel dome and slowly pulled it up. Ersatz whimpered and staggered backwards, eyes going wide as she covered her mouth with both hooves, and Scrivener and Luna only gazed in amazement and horror as Cowlick put the steel dome aside and then gestured with a grin at Vallation's exposed brain. “Is this not the coolest thing you have ever seen?” Ersatz only whimpered, and Scrivener winced a little as Luna leaned slowly forwards... then asked with something between horror and fascination: “What in Helheim's name is that?” “That's what I asked when I saw 'em, too. But I think I figured it out.” Cowlick replied in a far-too-happy voice, picking up the knife and using it to carefully tap one of the large, ominous black nodes sitting amongst the gray matter of the Clockwork Pony's brain. “I was thinking about it all last night, but it was Ross that helped me figure it out. I was thinking about how his wiring's a little funny and all, and that was when I realized precisely what the hell these things are. Things that are tampering with Vallation's wiring. Now I dunno who put 'em here. I dunno if this is thanks to Thesis or that bastard Valthrudnir. But I studied up on brains last night, and assuming these ponies have the same structural anatomy as we do...” Cowlick slowly moved the cutting knife to a black node sticking out near the front of the stallion's brain, and then she stabbed it downwards, making Luna, Scrivener, and Ersatz all twitch and stare in shock as the engineer continued in a cheerful voice: “This should be the right one... oh, screw you all, don't gimme that look. Guy's brain is already a mishmash of this and that, a few more missing cells ain't gonna cause him any harm.” Ersatz turned away with a moan as Cowlick twisted the knife and pried upwards, grinning in a way that made Scrivener wonder blankly how insane she was and Luna only mouth wordlessly... before there was a loud pop, a sizzle of electricity, and a weak gasp from the Clockwork Pony. A moment later, the black node hit the ground with a clink, sparking weakly, and Cowlick drew the knife quickly back before she yanked the blindfold off, and smacked Vallation's nose a few times with the flat of the blade. “Hey, hey, open your eyes!” Vallation only slumped, breathing slowly, the Clockwork Pony's eyes remaining closed as Ersatz stared up at Scrivener with disbelief, and the charcoal stallion winced as Luna tried to find something to say... and then all three ponies jumped as Vallation's eyes snapped open and stared at them, before he yelled and tried to yank himself wildly back and forth, shouting wordlessly and desperately. Ersatz screamed and fell over, staring in horror as Luna snarled and set herself and Scrivener hurriedly stepped in front of the unicorn mare even as he winced, but Cowlick cackled before she grinned across the room at the terrified-looking Nibelung workers, shouting: “You guys all owe me! And... and hey, jackass, calm the hell down!” Cowlick slapped Vallation's horn with the flat of her blade, and the Clockwork Pony winced before staring over at her in disbelief, looking up and down as he shivered in his restraints before his mouth moved, slurring out gibberish. Cowlick frowned at this, tapping the knife absently against the bridge of her own nose before she suddenly growled and made a stabbing motion, and Vallation yelled and tried to lean away, flinching in fear before the engineer grinned and stepped quickly back, holding up her front hooves in a peaceful gesture. “Sorry, sorry, had to test your emotional responses. I ain't gonna hurt you, pal.” Cowlick put down the knife, then stepped back towards him, and Vallation stared at her in disbelief before he tried to say something again. Again, it was only gibberish, and the engineer waved a front hoof quickly, saying mildly: “Look, pal, your brain here's been hotwired and I just woke you up from... I dunno what it must have seemed like to you. Insanity? Death? Prison? Either way, pal, you are looking up at your savior, so you better get to worshiping me ASAP.” With that, Cowlick turned to pick up the metal skull-dome, putting it back on Vallation's head as Ersatz shakily climbed to her hooves, and Luna and Scrivener both turned to face Cowlick before the sapphire mare almost exploded: “And what in Helheim's name hast thou done here?” Vallation flinched, then frowned uncertainly as he looked at Luna, studying her almost as if he recognized her... before blinking in surprise when Cowlick dropped the fake mane mostly over the Clockwork Pony's face as she replied sourly: “Oh calm the hell down. I took a chance, and saved a goddamn life. He might not be talkin' right as of yet, but give the dude a break, his brain was rewired into a computer.” Luna looked disbelieving, and Scrivener tried to think of something to say before Cowlick turned and shouted at the Nibelung: “You idjits can stop standing around holding your asses now and unhook him, then we got ourselves some diagnostics to run! Hurry up!” “Wait, what? No, I order thee to halt!” Luna snapped immediately, stepping forwards with a growl, and the Nibelung all froze in place before Cowlick glared at the sapphire mare, the two leaning towards one-another aggressively. “Thou cannot just... free this monster! It took myself, Celestia, an entire platoon to break its defenses!” “Yeah, and yet you still brought this walking toaster back here, right? You said yourself the bastard still didn't deserve to be smashed, and brought him here to see what I could do with him. You turned him over to me and now he's under my care, and I don't need your goddamn permission to do whatever the hell I please with my projects!” Cowlick retorted sharply, and Luna mouthed wordlessly, looking back and forth in disbelief before the engineer clenched her eyes shut, then added in a quieter voice: “I can save him, Luna. Rusty would want me to save him.” Luna softened, and Scrivener glanced away silently, dropping his head, as the tension faded from both mares. And after a moment, Luna sighed quietly before stepping forwards and giving the engineer a quick hug with one foreleg, muttering: “That is an unfair gambit, Cowlick. Thou knows I cannot... speak against such.” “Yeah, you better not,or I'll kick your goddamn ass up one side of Subterra and down the other.” Cowlick muttered moodily, but she nodded a little before reaching up and slapping Luna on the back. The two mares parted, and they studied each other for a moment before the engineer smiled wryly, glancing over at Vallation, who was staring weakly back and forth. “Anyway, I'm bein' careful either way. He's only got two power cells plugged in... the rest are being analyzed and disassembled so I can reverse-engineer 'em.” The engineer shook herself out, then cleared her throat and looked mildly at Luna. “Now listen to me. I know just what the hell I'm doing, even if none of you think I do. I goddamn do. That there that just happened, I see the reaction of a pony now, not a toaster. I cut out the toaster-brain. He might be a Clockwork Pony but... goddammit, we all deserve a chance, right?” Scrivener sighed a little, then he smiled faintly and nodded slowly as Luna grumpily turned towards Vallation, then leaned down towards him, studying him moodily. Vallation stared back uncertainly, then he tried to say something, but the winged unicorn only grumbled before asking finally: “Thou can handle him?” “I got a shotgun. I can handle anything.” Cowlick replied mildly, and then she reached up and knocked a pack of cigarettes out of her vest pocket, leaning down and nuzzling into it as she continued moodily: “Besides, this is my territory. Anyone stupid enough to try and screw with me around here is just going to end up getting thrown in the goddamn incinerator. And that includes you two if you keep this up.” Luna grumbled, and then Cowlick gestured with a grunt to the Nibelung, who awkwardly came forwards as the engineer eyed Luna for a moment, then grinned as she rose her head and managed to pull a cigarette free from her pack, saying mildly: “You know, I could make you a nice little carriage for Scrivener to push you around in, Luna. It'd go great with your new hat.” “Actually, that... that belongs to me.” Ersatz said awkwardly, and Cowlick looked over at her mildly before the unicorn hesitantly crept forwards. She stood beside Scrivener, then glanced up at him nervously, and the stallion nodded a little before he strode towards Vallation even as the Clockwork Pony was unchained by the Nibelung. The Clockwork Pony was only staring back and forth in confusion, before Ersatz halted in front of him, studying him silently. Then she smiled hesitantly, reaching up and carefully pushing his synthetic mane into a better position over his steel skull, before biting her lip nervously and looking worriedly from Scrivener to Cowlick. Then one of the shackles clanked loudly as it hit the ground, and Vallation twitched before his eyes widened as he realized he was free, and he hurriedly yanked himself backwards off the support bars. The Nibelung flinched away immediately, and Ersatz leapt backwards as Scrivener winced and stepped up protectively again, but Luna and Cowlick only watched curiously as the Clockwork Pony tumbled backwards and landed with a loud clank on his back, the open hatch on his side clanking against the ground loudly. He twitched weakly a few times, legs pawing slowly at the air as he tried to look back and forth with a groan, and then Luna said mildly: “It seems that thou hast thy work cut out for thee, Cowlick, so we shall take our leave now. I... I applaud thy efforts, though, and think... Rustproof would be proud of thee. But once Vallation regains whatever mind he once had, bring him to the Thorn Palace. And expect a visit shortly from my sister, Celestia, as well.” “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Cowlick mumbled, looking away embarrassedly before she cleared her throat and added dryly: “And his name is... Shiny Armor or whatever in the other layers, right? I don't remember what the hell Apple Bloom told me after she got back, we got pretty drunk. Your daughter was mad as hell at us both.” Luna sighed and rolled her eyes as Scrivener shook his own head slowly, and then Cowlick turned her eyes to Ersatz, who was watching as one of the Nibelung carefully strode over to the fallen, stunned-looking Clockwork Pony and poked at it a little. Then she glanced up in surprise as Cowlick asked curiously: “And you didn't answer my question. Who the hell are you, anyway?” “Ersatz Major.” the unicorn said quietly, and Cowlick's eyes widened before she frowned thunderously, and Scrivener slapped his forehead as an almost eager grin spread over Luna's face. Then Cowlick scrambled for her shotgun, and Scrivener hurriedly leapt in front of Ersatz as the engineer snatched up the weapon by its specially-shaped grip and then pointed it at him. “Get out from behind Scrivener, it'll hurt a lot less if you take it like a goddamn mare instead of me kicking his ass so hard it kicks your ass! And Scrivener, why the hell are you standing there, you giant dumb bastard, she's the one who's been spouting off all that crap about you!” Cowlick glared, pointing the double barrel back and forth as Ersatz squeaked and tried to stay safely hidden behind the thankfully-large stallion, as Luna giggled despite her best efforts not to. “Look, these two are screwed up as all hell but they're my damn friends, and you ain't got no right to go putting all the questions about our integrity you did in there, too. You slur the name of Scrivy's family, you slur the name of my goddamn colt, and I don't let no pony insult the dignity of Rustproof after what that damn colt did!” Ersatz tried to fumble out a response, and Scrivener rose a hoof, saying awkwardly: “Cowlick, look, she's my cousin. She asked to come here so we could prove to her that my life isn't just... based on lies and something bad I did and-” “Oh you stupid son of a bitch, you are the dumbest hen in the whole goddamn chicken coop. Fine, you wanna see how much I care about you?” Cowlick took aim at Scrivener with the sawed-off, and the stallion had a moment to stare at her blankly before the engineer pulled both triggers. Scrivener felt a massive shock of force slam into his body, and he was knocked sprawling on top of Ersatz Major, crushing her beneath his body with a shriek. Luna staggered to the side with a yelp as bruises immediately began to spread over her body, but even as Scrivener lay in a dazed, drooling heap, she only shook her head before giving a dumb giggle, even as a bit of saliva dripped slowly out of her half-open jaws. Everyone else was only staring: even the Clockwork Pony, Vallation, was gaping at the sight from where he was weakly laying in the middle of the floor. But they all went ignored as Cowlick only brushed herself off with a grumble, breaking the shotgun open and ejecting both empty, blue-colored cartridges. Then the engineer absently dug in a pocket, pulling out two more blue shells as Ersatz whimpered helplessly beneath Scrivener's prone form, and as the engineer loaded them into the shotgun she remarked to Luna: “Normally you'd be all over my flank for something like that.” Luna giggled again, then cleared her throat hurriedly and shook herself out: as she recovered a little, Scrivener groaned and carefully straightened up, wincing and rubbing at himself as Ersatz only whimpered weakly again. “Oh, aye, but Scrivener deserves a little pain for babying little Ersatz, and thy... non-killing hurty bullets-” “Less Than Lethal, it's something I've been experimenting more and more with. Hey, Scrivener, can you stand up and let me take a look at where I shot you? I need to see there's any pieces of rubber lodged in that big body of yours.” Cowlick said blandly, and Scrivener glowered moodily before he winced and looked down as he heard another whimper from Ersatz, who he was still half on top of and squishing beneath his weight. The stallion hurried up to his hooves, then awkwardly offered a hoof to Ersatz as Cowlick rolled her eyes, before looking mildly over at Luna as she patted her shotgun, asking mildly: “Want me to give him another dose of negative reinforcement?” Top ↑